Integrated circuits are used in a wide variety of systems, including communications systems, entertainment systems, navigation systems, data storage systems, and other systems. Examples of integrated circuits (ICs) include semiconductor memory (including non-volatile memory such as NAND flash), controllers (including memory controllers), programmable logic devices (PLDs), digital signal processing (DSP) devices, communication ICs, and application specific ICs (ASICs). Integrated circuits may receive power at some regulated voltage, e.g. from a voltage regulator that is located off-chip. Voltage regulation may also be provided on-chip by a voltage regulator that is located on the same substrate (e.g. same silicon die) as the circuit or circuits that it provides power to.
Semiconductor memory is widely used in various electronic devices such as cellular telephones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants, medical electronics, mobile computing devices, and non-mobile computing devices. Semiconductor memory may comprise non-volatile memory or volatile memory. A non-volatile memory allows information to be stored and retained even when the non-volatile memory is not connected to a source of power (e.g., a battery). Examples of non-volatile memory include flash memory (e.g., NAND-type and NOR-type flash memory) and Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM). ICs in a semiconductor memory may receive power from one or more voltage regulators.